COLUMBIA, Md., March 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) hosted their 40th anniversary symposium, "Our Future in Space," on Thursday, March 26 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.

A historic event took place at ESA sites across Europe November 14 - the flag of the Czech Republic was hoisted alongside those of ESA's other Member States, officially symbolizing the country becoming ESAâ€™s 18th Member State.

Jean Jacques Dordain, head of Europeâ€™s Space Agency (ESA), asked officials to rename the ExoMars mission, saying the original concept had expanded so radically in scope and cost that it is essentially now a new venture.